The Budapest Basilica Christmas Market only launched in 2011, but in 2012 the fantastic Advent fair and Christmas market is making a spectacular return in 2012. The fair is not to be missed, and it is conveniently located in the city center!

Budapest Christmas Market 2012 Basilica

You don’t have to be a gift hunter for traditional Hungarian Christmas gifts to fully enjoy the wonderful Christmas market atmosphere right in front of the biggest cathedral of Budapest, the 96 meter tall St Stephen’s Basilica.

Just take a mug of mulled wine, roasted chestnut, grab some warm, juicy and hearty street foods (well beyond sausages), and enjoy the winter festival of Budapest: Budapest Christmas!

Similarly to the displays on the nearby – and more famous – Budapest Christmas Market on Vorosmarty Square, the items for sale are beautiful handcrafted, high quality goods, which can make a perfect souvenir or special Christmas gifts for your loved ones.

Budapest Christmas Market 2012 by the Basilica

Events and Programs on the St Stephen’s Square (Szent Istvan ter):

Opening Hours of the 2012 Basilica Christmas Market

Location of Budapest Basilica Christmas Market

December 1, 2012 – January 1, 2013:

Monday – Thursday: 11:30am – 8:00pm

Friday: 11:30am – 10:00pm

Saturday: 10:00am – 10:00pm

Sunday: 10:00am – 8:00pm

24 December, 2012: 10:00am – 2:00pm

25 December: Closed

26 December: Closed

Light Ray Painting on the Basilica in Budapest

from December 1 to January 1, 2012:

at half past 5 from Monday to Sunday, every day (exceptions below!) festive lights are projected on the walls of the St Istvan Basilica with accompanying melodies. Be there on the Christmas market at 5:30 and enjoy the Christmas sights.

There will be no light painting on the following days (when the market is temporarily closed for the Christmas holidays):

Shows and Performances at the Basilica Christmas Fair 2012

“Birds”

Birds at the Basilica Xmas market in Budapest

Flags or Birds? What are these flying dancers with poles and huge sheets of silky sheets? A special performance at the Budapest Basilica Christmas show is the “angel dance” of Middle-East origin. It has great traditions in many European countries too, but it is new to Hungary. The dancers have huge wings on sticks and with the colorful swirling of them they can tell you beautiful stories. They put you in a special mood merging components of classical ballet and that of belly dance. The impact is similar to the show of “flag throwers”.

Juggler Play House

Children and adults can test their reflexes, adroitness, endurance and balancing skills. Many juggler tools are presented to the visitors like simple balls, maces, poi, devil’s stick, long stick, yo-yo, diablo or contact ball. These tools, exercises and techniques can develop the general movement coordination, sense of balance and physical condition not even to mention the joy of playing and experience of success.

Skate Rink by the Budapest Basilica

Skate Rink by Budapest Basilica

Skating rink in the heart of the city? In front of the Cathedral? On a Christmas fair? You are right. Budapest is a unique place with unique ideas. And why not? On weekends from Friday to Sunday children under 14 years old can skate free of charge.

Trainers will help and teach your little ones how to skate.

No skates with you? You can rent them on the spot (rental fee is charged).

Is it an ice rink? Sort of artificial ice rink? Yes and no. The skating rink resembles the ice rinks, but is made of a special plastic (the SummericeTM is a US made plastic skate surface that does not need cooling)

Active Aging Charity Program

Society of Respect presents active elderly at the Christmas market in Budapest at the St Stephen Basilica. After all, 2012 is the year of “active aging” and the solidarity among generations in Europe. In this spirit Hungarian pensioners over the age of 60 show us how it is possible to live an active life in an elderly age. Please donate: the incoming donations are forwarded to Árpád Ódry Home of Artists that helps elder people.

Also the children can enjoy an unequalled experience in the wooden hut of Society of Respect after 5 pm every day because they can encounter with Santa Claus personally!

Budapest is a multicultural city with many thousands of Jewish residents who will celebrate Hanukkah in Budapest. Don’t be surprised that you can also try Raj Rachel’s gorgeous Flodni at the Advent Market. Do try this rich Jewish cake at the market. And give Palinka a chance to heat you up a bit, a tiny bit on the chilly days. The best fruit palinkas will be sold at the market, so here is a chance to test the Hungarian spirit (carefully, its alcohol content is very high).

In addition to the many fantastic Christmas events in Budapest, scheduled and published, there are many little things going on in the city, along with its more well known Budapest Christmas sights, which go unpublished or in stealth mode, like sudden fun flashmobs, street buskers performing festive street music in December. Here are some random examples of random things in Budapest Christmas:

Street Busker playing on the Hammered Dulcimer (Cimbalom) in December Budapest

Budapest is an ever changing city, so we are quite happy to share that the city has now multiple skating rinks (besides the best outdoor Budapest ice rink in Hungary in the City Park of Budapest. Take a look at the skating rink near Nyugati Train Station on Eiffel Square

This is a collection of videos made by tourists of their Budapest Christmas breaks. The videos speak for themselves and give you some ideas what you can do in a short or long Christmas break in Budapest, Hungary.

Vaci Utca, the oldest and longest Budapest Shopping Street is not only decorated at Christmas with Xmas themed street lights, but you can also buy wonderfully smelling winter style street foods in Vaci street, like roasted chestnut, mulled wine, or the Hungarian Chimney cake (kurtoskalacs) etc.

Vaci street actually connects Vorosmarty Square (where the best Budapest Christmas market can be found, and the Cafe Gerbeaud is), with the highly popular Central Market Hall of Budapest (likewise the best in its category). The street runs parallel with the river Danube, from the Chain Bridge to the Liberty Bridge.

You can find many international brands and some lovely buildings in Vaci street (like the Art Nouveau Florist, which is a peculiar flower shop indeed), but in recent years Vaci utca has lost its glory. Not only because of the shopping malls, or the overly touristy restaurants along Váci street.

Chimney cake on Vaci Street at Christmas – Ben H Hancock Photography

The nearby Budapest Fashion Street and the high brand shops on Andrassy Avenue are also the reason, they are simply more elegant, and for many visitors more attractive – and of course, just as touristy. Having said that, it is worth a 15 minute walk to go through on Vaci street. There are some nice art galleries, several Hungarian souvenir shops, and tiny details that make the street a nice attraction, and a nice walk between the Great Market Hall (Vasarcsarnok) and Café Gerbeaud on Vörösmarty Square.

Live music, festive lights, Christmas preparations, gift shopping on the main shopping street of Budapest called Vaci utca (the street which used to lead to the town of Vac). We are grateful that the street music and the folk / world music on the Christmas markets take away the commercial edge of the Advent in Budapest, and let us enjoy the tunes of our beautiful city.